Success

"They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit." Mk 4:19

Competition and the striving to be better than others is a terrible burden and often becomes sinful. When people are unable to put aside personal goals for the sake of family or the common good, they risk everything.

Few would deny that losing perspective in the pursuit of fame and fortune has destroyed many lives. It is not so much that money, fame or power are bad in themselves, but when they become the object of life, they are like a raging storm that brings needed rain but destroys everything in its path. But Jesus does not leave us bereft of hope.

Immediately after warning the people who let "worldly anxiety and the lure of riches" trap them, Jesus assures his disciples that as long as they turn towards God and let God's seed fall on the good ground of their lives, they will bear much fruit. The seed, Jesus reminds us, is not planted in us for personal glory, but for the good of all.

Most of us struggle to find middle ground. Trying too hard to live simply can lead to needless anxiety which destroys our peace. Discerning how best to live a God centered life in the midst of a demanding world is an everyday spiritual task.

Today, hand your life over to God again and ask for the grace to see as God sees.

What distracts you most easily from living in and for God?